BigCedarCreek, 2006
Fonda’s story
153 years in pictures
Census counts: 1,684 in 1880, 636 in 2020. The archive holds 7 old photos and papers going back to 2004 and 2 maps from 1979 on.
- 1873Fonda is settled
FondaIA
A town of 622, settled in 1873.
Population
622
2025 Census estimate · −2.7% since 2020
Typical home
$112K
−4% in a year
Household income
$55K
median
Median age
46.4
years
Jobs based here
86
A commuter town
Is Fonda a good place to live?
Among 141 Iowa towns, just 4 have a higher share of residents 65 or older than Fonda. Fonda has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
622 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Fonda: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Fonda, and how to reach them.
PowerCity of FondaEIAHIFLD · EIA
WaterFonda Water SupplyNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet4 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Fonda’s trash rules yet
Register to voteOnlineIn Iowa you can register online until 15 days before Election Day, in person up to and including Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 15 days before).vote.govWho runs elections herePocahontas County AuditorPocahontas County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Aug 2025
ZIP code5054050540 100%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Fonda.
Housing
Homes in Fonda are worth about $112K, by Zillow’s estimate
The typical Fonda home is worth about $112,000, down 4% in a year, 53% below the Iowa typical home.
$112KZillow home value
Typical home value
Fonda$112K
Iowa$237K
−4%
value change, 1 year
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Work & commute
Most of Fonda’s workers commute out: the town has 0.4 jobs for each of them
Most working residents leave Fonda for work: only 4% work in town. Jobs based in Fonda fell to 86 in 2023, 21 fewer than in 2013. Fonda’s median household income is $55,000, below both Iowa’s towns ($69,000) and U.S. towns ($80,000).
4%work in town
| Fonda | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 3.7% | 31% | 8% |
| Median household income | $55,000 | $69,000 | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 23 minutes | 19 minutes | 25 minutes |
Where working residents work
In Fonda4%
Pocahontas11%
Fort Dodge8%
Laurens4%
Newell4%
23 mi
median commute distance
86
jobs based in Fonda
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Climate
In Fonda, expect four seasons and pleasant summers
Fonda has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. July afternoons reach 84°, January nights drop to 9° and about 31 inches of snow falls in a winter.
31″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter12–30°
Spring36–58°
Summer60–82°
Fall38–61°
Oct 6
typical first frost
Apr 30
typical last frost
+0.7°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Health
Fonda stands out in Iowa and nationally: a smaller share of its adults have been diagnosed with depression
19% of adults have been diagnosed with depression in Fonda, below both the Iowa town median (21%) and the median of U.S. towns (23%). 20% of adults binge drink in Fonda. Fonda beats the Iowa average on 1 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 0.
| Fonda | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 21% | 23% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 20% | 16% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 16% | 16% | 17% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 33% | 32% | 36% |
32 measures vs. Iowa
1 better31 too close to call0 worse
| What stands out | Fonda | IA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth | 8.9% | 11.6% |
Loring Hospital
13.1 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Natural hazards
Fonda faces a moderate natural-hazard risk, led by drought
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 55% of U.S. communities.
45risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
DroughtInland floodingCold waves
3
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Fonda
16pages on Fonda
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Fonda; the nearest are
Buena Vista UniversityUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Storm Lake18.9 mi$41,798 tuitionIowa Central Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Fort Dodge33.3 mi$5,496 in-state tuitionIowa State UniversityUniversity or college · Public · Ames72.2 mi$10,787 in-state tuition
About 5 of every 100 Fonda residents are enrolled in college, about the same as Iowa.
A commuter town
96% of working residents leave Fonda for work
Where Fonda’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
86jobs based in Fonda
4%of working residents work in town
23 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Fonda
City in Iowa, United States
Fonda is a city in Pocahontas County, Iowa, United States. The population is estimated at 636 as of the 2020 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 1.0 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,220 ft
- ZIP code
- 50540
Questions about Fonda
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Fonda, IA a good place to live?
Fonda has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
What is Fonda, IA known for?
2 notable people were born here, including Nathan Post and Ruth Stafford Peale.